Adjustable shelf and case therefor.



L. J. ISBELL.

ADJUSTABLE SHELF AND GASE- THEREFOR.

APPLIOATION FILED PEB.21, 1912.

Patented Feb. 25, 1913 INVENTOR ATTORNEY I G MIQ /Q)LA- f Uiurnn STATESPATENT critics.

LEWIS J. ISBELL, 0F JAMESTOWN, NEW YORK, ASSIGITOR '10 ART METALGOZ'ISTRUC- TION COMPANY, OF JAMESTOWN, NEW YORK, A.GORPORATION OF NEWYORK.

ADJUSTABLE SHELF AND CASE THEREFOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 25, 1913..

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEWIS J. IBBELL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Jamestown, in the county of Chautauqua and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in AdjustableShelves and Cases Therefor, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a construction for a casewhich will support shelves that will be readily adjustable therein todifferent heights and to different spaces between consecutive shelves.

Another object of this invention is to provide means for locking theshelves securely in place so that they will be made firmly a part of thecase and will not rattle therein.

Another object of the invention is to provide adjustable means forholding and locking the shelves in place, which can be used or changedwithout the use of tools.

These and other objects of my invention will be fully illustrated in thedrawings, de-' scribed in the specification and pointed out in theclaims at the end thereof.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a caseand a shelf mounted therein. Fig. 2 is a perspective detail view of aportion of the rear supporting member of the shelf. Fig. 3 is aperspective detail view of a portion of the front supporting member ofthe shelf. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the locking clip that is usedfor locking the shelf in place. Fig. 5 is a perspective detail view ofthe locking clip advanced toward locking position. Fig. 6 is a sectionalview of the locking clip on v the lin 6*,6 in Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a detailview of the bearing for the vertical roller. Fig. 8 is a horizontalsectional view of the case, showing the general arrangement of theparts.

In the accompanying drawings, like reference numerals refer to likeparts.

Reference numeral 1 represents the back of the case having the uprightflanges 2, 2 thereon. This back is perforated on both sides at 3, 3 withholes which are provided for the purpose of supporting the rear end ofthe shelves which may be placed in the case. As shown at 4, the sheetmaterial between two consecutive holes is indented for near the frontare rovideol with the adj the cross bars-1'1, 11 and 12, 12, hetwe thepurpose of marking every sixth hole, it being understood that thefrequency with which the indentation occurs in the series may be changedat will. Between the flanged ends 2, 2 of two consecutive plates 1, 1are clamped in any suitable manner the upright side plates 5. These sideplates ment strips or channels 6, which chani are bent up of a singlesheet of metal to shape indicated in perspective at the top of Fig. 1.In the front these channels are perforated with holes 7, 7 between whichat the same intervals the sheet metal is indented at 8 for the purposeof marking the series of holes in the same way as is the back plate 1.Within this case are provided supporting shelves which may be eithersolid or built up with a framework having rol e therein such as areshown in the draw? of this application. The roller shelf sh herewith isformed of the bars 9 and 10 which cross bars are mounted the rollers 13,14 and 15. The cross bars 11 and 12 have each a reduced end 16 whichextends through suitable openings in the bar 10 at the front, whichopeningis substantially the s width as the widest part of the reduced e;16 but narrower than the cross bar 11 w on that account abuts againstthe bar 10 of the shoulder. By riveting the bar 10 down slightly theparts are locked in plac-e'firm The rollers 13, 14 and 15 are providedw? trunnion ends which rotate in suitable o ings or hearings in thecross bars by w. they are supported. The ends of the bars u and 10 arebent back and are cut away to form a fork or lugs on the end thereof,which lugs can engage with the openings 3 in the rear plate 1 and withthe openings 7 in the supporting channels 6. The lugs it" on the bars 9are preferably a little longer than the lugs 18 on the bar 10, whichfacilitates the engagement of the shelf with supporting holes. 4

The bars 10 are provided at each end with the studs 19 at a suitabledistance from the that the long linger 22 thereon will engage with thelug 20 from underneath, by which and by the stud it is held in ahorizontal position. The clip 21 is provided with the outturned end 23which when the shelf is placed in position as shown in Fig. 1, willengage with the channel on the adjusting strip 6. To facilitate thisengagement, the lower end of the part 23 is turned out farther than the'upper end, so that as the part is rotated it will the more rigidlyengage with the channel and draw tighter thereon so as to clamp thechannel between the clip and the bar 10. The end of the part 23 alsoengages with the flat portion of the adjusting strip 6 and will drivethe bar 10 endwise away from the adjusting strip 6, securely locking thelugs 18 into the holes with which they are engaged, and taking up allthe lost motion between the shelf and the supporting strip on which itis carried. By rotating the clip in the reverse direction the bar 10 isfreed from the supporting strip so that the shelf may be taken out andplaced in another position.

It will be understood that clips 21 may be placed at each end of the bar10 so that the shelf will be locked in place on both sides at the front,which in turn will hold it locked in place at the rear as well.

Mounted in front of the upright side plates 5 are the rollers 25supported and guided by the bearing clips 26 which are fastened to theplates 5, by which rollers any book or article that is placed on theshelf is steered to position with the least possible friction, beingthereby held laterally out of contact with all of the stationary partsof the shelf. The rollers 13, 14 and 15 also support the book fromunderneath so that it does not come in contact with an of the stationaryparts of the shelf. The rollers 25 are cut away with an annular groovewith which the clips 20 engage and by which the rollers are supportedfrom the plates 5.

It will be noticed that the channels 6, 6 actv as stiffening ribs forthe side plates 5 and that the shelves are locked at the front to thestiffening ribs and side plates, preventing them from spreading.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and patentableis as follows:

1. In a filing ease, the combination of a back plate and side plates,adjustl'nent strips fastened to said side plates, perforations uniformlyspaced in said adjustment strips and in said back-plate, a shelf havingrearwardly projecting lugs at the front and back thereof to engage withsaid perfora tions, a clip pivotally mounted on said shelf and adaptedto engage the adjacent flange on twosides and hold said adjustment stripbetween said clip and the adjacent lugs on said shelf.

2. In a filingcase, the combination of a back plate and side plates, adustment strlps fastened to said side plates, perforations spaced in saidadjustment strips and in said back plate a shelf having rearwardlyprojet-ting lugs at the front and back thereof to engage with saidperforations, a clip pivotally mounted on said shelf and adapt-ed to enage the adjacent adjustment strip on two si es and hold said stripbetween said clip and the adjacent lugs on said shelf, said shelf beingcomposed of a plurality of Iongitudinal bars connected by cross barsextending transversely thereto, rollers mount ed between said cross barsand-parallel to said longitudinal bars.

3. In a filing case, the combination of an adjustable shelf havinglongitudinal bars therein, cross bars connecting said longitudinal bars,the ends of said longitudinal bars being bent rearwardly and cut away toform forks therein, a clip pivotally mounted on the longitudinal bar onone side of said shelf having a bearing surface thereon extendingtransversely of said bar and forwardly toward said forked end of saidbar, substantially inclosing a pocket between said clip and the end ofsaid bar.

4. In a filing case, the combination of an adjustable shelf havinglongitudinal bars thereon, a stud on one of said bars, a clip having anopen ended slot therein engaging with said stud and forming a pivotalconnection therewith, a lug formed on said bar, an arm on said clipextending rearwardly from said slot and adapted to engage with said lugand hold said clip in a fixed position.

5. In a filing case, the combination of a back plate and side platesfastened perpendicular thereto, adjustment strips fastened to said sideplates, perforations uniformly spaced in said back plate and adjustmentstrips, ashelf having projections thereon at each corner extendingrearwardly, said projections at the rear engaging with said back plateand at the front engaging with said supporting strips, clips pivotallymounted on said shelf, each having a bearing surface thereon extendingrearwardly of said shelf and transversely toward said projections at thecorners of said shelf said clips engaging with said supporting strips tohold said projections in engagement therewith.

6. In a filing case, the combination of a back plate and side platesfastened perpendicular thereto, adjustment strips fastened to said sideplates, perforations uniformly spaced in said back plate and adjustment;strips, a shelf having projections thereon at each corner extendingrearwardly, said projections at the rear engaging with said back plateand at the front engaging with said supporting strips, a clip pivotallymounted on said shelf having a bearing surface thereon extendingrearwardly of said shelf and In testimony whereof I afiix mysignaturethen extending transversely toward one of in presence of twowitnesses. said pro ections at a corner of said shelf and flaringdownwardly and toward the rear of LEWIS E said adjustment strip, saidclip engaging Witnesses: with said supporting strip to hold the pro- R.G. BULLooK,

ections in engagement therewith. E. Ross BROWN.

